Wire spiders, if done right offer many advantages over conventional spiders. I have used them for over forty years without any of the troubles Bob May sites. The biggest single advantage is that the diagonal can be precisely positioned with out any need for further adjustment. They are tighter than conventional spiders and dont exhibit any excess springyness. They can be implimented with commonly available materiels, I normally use bicycle hubs and spokes. They do require good planning and careful implimentation. If you are interested in more information, please contact me off list.

Jarvis Krumbein, jkoptic@juno.com